Chart - Gold Area

Object Detail

On 6th June 1944, Operation Overlord, later known as D-Day, saw the long planned invasion of Nazi-held Europe. This chart, issued under stict secrecy by the Hydrography Department of the Navy on 18 Feb 1944, represents the section of the French coast around Arromanche, Normandy, code named “GOLD AREA”. The 15 circular sea areas of varying size indicate the type of shipping that was to anchor there. One shows the 'Mulberry Anchorage' (the temporary harbour constructed soon after D-Day from concrete caissons towed across the English Channel). At the top right corner of the chartlet is an annotation “SS EMPIRE BOSWELL 168945 COAL & LUBE OIL FOR SERVICE CRAFT. ARRIVED “d + 1” Alex Smith [signature] RETURNED TO THE UK AFTER SIX WEEKS ON THE BEACHES [illegible initials]” The involvement of this Leith merchant ship is now commemorated by the display of this chart at Trinity House.